How to do Safe and Secure Online Shopping on Internet SitesNeed of Safe and Secure Shopping on Internet
safe online shopping tipsOnline Shopping through Internet sites is convenience unleashed; No more hassles of visiting the store, No more searching through isles for your favorite product, advantage of lots of discount coupons, convenience of comparing products across different merchants, manufacturers and stores and what not.
But all this convenience comes at a price. The price of dangers of identity theft.
Unlike offline shopping, only the security camera knows that you have purchased something if you are making the payments through cash, in Online shopping, you have to reveal a lot of information like your name, address, email address, credit card information and many other things.
Howsoever trustworthy your merchant or website it, you can never be sure that this data will not land in evil hands. With the increasing trends of hacking attacks against commercial websites, your database is never secured.
How to Ensure Safe and Secure Online ShoppingHere are a few tips to ensure you are safe and secure online shopping on Internet sites.
1. Make sure your computer and browser is virus free.
2. Make sure your computer’s operating system and browser is updated to the latest version.
3. In this age of browser war, there are lots of web browser, each claiming to offer features better than the other. Try to install some of the good browsers like Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome alongwith the default IE and make sure to use one of them solely for the purpose of online shopping. Do not do anything else on this browser. Use other browsers for your routine browsing and other works.
4. You can also try to use anonymous browsing methods.
5. Use strong passwords. Never give-in to the temptation of using easy-to-remember weak passwords. If necessary, make use of a password manger software or application.
6. Never give-in to the temptation of repeating passwords at several sites. You will be surprised to know how connected this world is and once an online account is cracked, it becomes highly possible and other accounts of the same person are also cracked.
7. Use your credit card instead of your debit card. This has more chances of you settling your claims in case you are duped.
8. Understand how to distinguish a phishing email from a regular email.
9. Use a safe online shopping tool like Shop Shield.
Here is a YouTube video on the tips for online shopping safety.
